Meet Arul Duggimpudi!
Arul Duggimpudi is a Sophomore at Rutgers New Brunswick. He’s majoring in Genetics and minoring in Public Health. Besides being a member of the Honors College, Arul is also involved in A2E, an organization that does after-school tutoring and educational development for 1st to 3rd graders in New Brunswick public schools, water and engineering brigade director, and works at St. Peter’s University Hospital in the oncology department. He’s from Edison, New Jersey and is a member of the Rutgers University Sailing team.
1. What made Rutgers appealing as a school compared to other schools?
What really appealed to me was the size of Rutgers. Because it was so enormous there was so much that Rutgers has to offer. Each of the five campuses is unique with their own vibes. For example, Busch looks like an engineering school that emits studying vibes, College Ave has a more liberal arts college aura, and Cook/Douglass is really in tune with nature. I also liked how it’s a state school because it’s a good price for a good education and has a very inclusive environment.
2. Is there something that you want to do at Rutgers before you graduate?
I want to attend RUDM. I think that it’s a very collegiate experience. Similar to going to a college football game, there’s a sense of unity that you won’t find anywhere else.
3. What is your most proud moment working with A2E?
As a big believer in early interventions and in education as a tool for lifting up people, I was excited when I heard about A2E and knew that this was something I wanted to be a part of. We’re such a big university and we can provide the guidance that these kids in our local New Brunswick communities and schools need to decrease the educational gap that is present in our New Jersey schools.
I’m proud seeing the kids improve and change for the better. It takes a lot out of you to go see them and to set up but once you see them understanding these concepts, for example, basic engineering concepts from building a marshmallow bridge, it makes everything worth it. One-on-one reading with the kids is also something that I enjoy because the improvement these kids make by the end of the year is so evident.
4. Do you have a funny story about riding the infamous Rutgers buses?
One night, I was coming back from visiting a high school friend when I hopped on my first Weeknd bus. I was shocked to see that it was practically a mini party bus- there were multi-colored lights, really loud music, and everyone on the bus was dancing. Because of this, I thought that this was a very normal thing for a Weeknd bus on Rutgers to be lit, so the next time I hopped on a Weeknd bus I was pretty disappointed to see everyone just sitting around listening to their music.
5. If you were to be a minor holiday, what would you be and why?
If I were to be a minor holiday, I would be Pi Day. It’s one of the few minor holidays that I’ve actually celebrated and it reminds me of eating pie during math class back in high school.